To take time – It expresses how much time is required for something to happen or be completed.
To be necessary/needed – It indicates what is required or needed in a particular situation.
1. “Volerci” for Expressing Time
Ci vuole un’ora per cucinare questo piatto.
It takes an hour to cook this dish.
Ci vogliono tre giorni per ricevere il pacco.
It takes three days to receive the package.
2. “Volerci” for Necessity
Ci vuole pazienza per imparare una lingua.
Patience is needed to learn a language.
Ci vogliono gli strumenti giusti per questo lavoro.
The right tools are needed for this job.
Key Characteristics of “Volerci”
It’s a compound verb formed by combining “volere” (to want) with the particle “ci” (there/it).
It’s an impersonal verb, meaning it does not have an explicit subject and is conjugated only in the third person singular and plural.
It agrees with what is needed or required:
Singular: “Ci vuole” (if the required element is singular).
Plural: “Ci vogliono” (if the required element is plural).
Unlike normal verbs, “volerci” is a pronominal verb (verbo pronominale), meaning the pronoun “ci” is an integral part of the verb and changes its meaning from the original “volere”.
The particle “ci”cannot be separated from the verb and transforms it into a completely different concept.
Other Conjugations of “Volerci”
Tense/Mood
Singular
Plural
Example Sentence (Singular)
Example Sentence (Plural)
Past (Passato Prossimo)
Ci è voluto/a + [singular noun]
Ci sono voluti/e + [plural noun]
Ci è voluta un’ora. (It took an hour.)
Ci sono voluti tre giorni. (It took three days.)
Future (Futuro Semplice)
Ci vorrà + [singular noun]
Ci vorranno + [plural noun]
Ci vorrà un’ora. (It will take an hour.)
Ci vorranno tre giorni. (It will take three days.)
Conditional (Condizionale)
Ci vorrebbe + [singular noun]
Ci vorrebbero + [plural noun]
Ci vorrebbe più tempo. (It would take more time.)
Ci vorrebbero più strumenti. (More tools would be needed.)
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Metterci means “to take time,” but unlike “volerci,” it requires an explicit subject. It indicates how long someone takes to do something. Unlike “volerci,” “metterci” is not impersonal and is conjugated with all subjects.
Examples:
Io ci metto un’ora per andare in centro.
I take an hour to go downtown.
Tu ci metti sempre troppo tempo.
You always take too much time.
Lei ci mette dieci minuti per prepararsi.
She takes ten minutes to get ready.
Conjugation of “Metterci” (present tense)
Io
ci metto
I take (time)
Tu
ci metti
You take (time)
Lui/Lei
ci mette
He/She takes (time)
Noi
ci mettiamo
We take (time)
Voi
ci mettete
You (plural) take (time)
Loro
ci mettono
They take (time)
Key Difference: “Volerci” vs. “Metterci”
Feature
Volerci
Metterci
Requires a subject?
❌ No (impersonal)
✅ Yes (explicit subject)
Agreement
Agrees with what is needed (ci vuole / ci vogliono)
Conjugated based on the subject (io, tu, lui, etc.)
Example
Ci vuole un’ora per cucinare. (It takes an hour to cook.)
Io ci metto un’ora per cucinare. (I take an hour to cook.)
In short “Ci vuole” (or “ci vogliono” for plural) means “it takes” in an impersonal sense, referring to the time required for something (e.g., Ci vuole un’ora – It takes an hour). “Ci metto” (or its other conjugations) means “it takes me/you/etc.”, requiring a subject to indicate who is spending the time (e.g., Io ci metto un’ora – It takes me an hour). In short, “ci vuole” focuses on the time needed, while “ci metto” specifies who is taking the time.
Other Conjugations of “Metterci”
Tense
Io (I)
Tu (You, informal)
Lui/Lei (He/She)
Noi (We)
Voi (You, plural)
Loro (They)
Past (Passato Prossimo)
Ci ho messo (I took)
Ci hai messo (You took)
Ci ha messo (He/She took)
Ci abbiamo messo (We took)
Ci avete messo (You all took)
Ci hanno messo (They took)
Future (Futuro Semplice)
Ci metterò (I will take)
Ci metterai (You will take)
Ci metterà (He/She will take)
Ci metteremo (We will take)
Ci metterete (You all will take)
Ci metteranno (They will take)
Conditional (Condizionale)
Ci metterei (I would take)
Ci metteresti (You would take)
Ci metterebbe (He/She would take)
Ci metteremmo (We would take)
Ci mettereste (You all would take)
Ci metterebbero (They would take)
Useful Phrases
Quanto tempo ci vuole? – How long does it take?
Quanto tempo ci vuole in treno da Roma a Milano? – How long does it take from Rome to Milan by train?
Quanto tempo ci metti a (+ infinitive)? – How long does it take you to (+ verb)?
Quanto tempo ci metti a preparare questo piatto? – How long does it take you to prepare this dish?
Quanto/a “x” ci vuole? or Quanti/e “x” ci vogliono? – How much/many “x” is needed?
Quanto sale ci vuole in questo piatto? – How much salt do you need in this dish?
Quante uova ci vogliono in questa torta? – How many eggs do you need in this cake?
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